The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-04-08
you after a time. have made this inn

] you after time. have made this i'm,
possible. You have neither home No,
friends: 1 have money, the aecursed
stun with which ! have bought nv
false wife. In n short time | shall
he hung for this murder. have na
relatives on whom to bestow nv
wealth. 1t will all 20 to strangers
Accept this packet, then; it is yours to
do with rs you think best, and can.
not but be thankful for the chance
when has thrown you in my way"
A packet dropped into Murel War
ner's zap as these words were spoken,
The boat rocked slightly us the tall
ilgure sprang upon the shore, and then
she was alone in tho darkness upop
the river.
After this she wandered about tho
world. woman whose life and feelings
seemed benumbcd forever. She knew
what had happened ut Rocky Hill, but
had no desire to return there and gaze
upon the dead face of her husband,
She had no wish to return to the
friends who had grown cold when mis-.
fortune came upon her. She knew
that Ralph Resseguie had made her n
wealthy woman, but she felt none oil
the scrupies which she once would
nave felt about accepting his money.
She never spoke of that night in the
boat to any with whom she came in
contact. She never heard whethe,
ralph Ressegule was captured or not,
She never knew what became of hi5
miserable wife.
Her past life seemed a halfforpotten
dream, and she was only dimly con,
scious OF the reality of anything.
AT thirty.live years OF age Mnrie)
Warner was "a beautiful and cultured
woman. She had visited nearly all oI
the countries of the Old World. Ac,
qualntances she made, but very few
| friends, and these often wondered when
in reply to their inquiries she would
| say:
~ never read a newspaper, Incve,
| write nor receive n letter.
But her time ofawakening came, and
! the one to stir the dormant emotions
OF her woman's heart was a stranger
and man.
1t was at the Bahama Islands where
she first met Norman Van Ness.
He was forty years OF aee-n Hercu.
les in the fullness OF his manhood, and
seemed to be attracted. nay, to love
her from the very first.
Her deep blue eyes soon grew to
watch for him, and became soft and
tender beneath the light in his dark
ones, and with the growth OF her new
love many OF the feelings OF her youth
came back to her.
rather and mother, long forgotten,
became dear once moro to her, and Oft.
en- she caught herself thinking.
"lf he ever speaks, and if after |
have told him all, we are ever mar
ried, ! will get hlm to take me home te
my parents" -.
But he did not speak. Weeks grew
INTO months, and the longed -for.loye,
words never came. Muriel's heart
again began quivering with pain. She
knew not that it's numbness had de,
parted forever =.
Sometimes she felt that she ought
to move on; to got away from intlu,
epces which more than likely would
prove saddening to her. but she could
not at once bring herself to do this
While she was debating the subject
in her mind the crisis came.
storm had been sweeping over the
Bahamas, Il vessel was going to pieces
upon the reef. Muriel was out upon
the wave-wasted shore, her eyes bright
and her cheeks rosy with excitement.
Her golden brown hair had been loos.
ened by the driving wind, and she
was that rare but delicious creature,
woman beautiful when she is mature
Norman Van Ness was by her side,
and Murial expressed q wish to row
out near to the life-saving boats which
We're battling with the waves, and
overladen with human beings whom
they had rescued in a half drowned
state.
Let me be your boatman," plead
| ed Van Ness, and Muriel could not re,
press her thoughts which whispered to
| her OF that long forgotten night when
her husbands murderer had been her
| boatman.
The strong man took his place at
the oars. Out over the waters they
rowed together, the dreadful past ris11
ing so strong before the woman that
she had no thought OF the man so near
her.
"Murie," said he, in low voice;
"Muriel. Muriel, love you, but Ihava
no right to say these words to yoN
Muriel, have you never thought that
| might be Ralph Resseguie2"
"Cnn it be?" she said, slowly. ~
did not see your face by daylight, you
know"
Yes, it is l, q married man and Il
mur derer; but still l love you Muriel."
"And love you," she esaid, i'll tone
OF despair.
They were nearing the life-boats
now, and one of the crew shouted
"Van Ness, we cannot go back just
yet. and here is man and woman
who need immediate attention, ifthey
are not already dead. We will put
them in your boat, and you can take
them ashore"
Ready hands laid the dripping
bodies in the bottom OF the boat, and
with strong strokes and ayerted head
Ralph Resseguie pulled for the shore.
When they were nearing land he
glanced for the first time at his bur.
den.
"My God, my Wife" he cried.
"And Fred Warner" said Muriel,
with q thrill of relief and horror.
1t was true. Fred Warner had not
died, and the deed which had made
these two wanderers upon the face OF
the earth had been farce, after all. /
The days of the guilty pair on earth |
werenumhered. Mabel Resseguie never
recovered consciousness. Fred War |
ner lived n few days, long enough to
ask the forgiveness OF the two he had |
wronged, and then expired. II
Ralph Resseguie and Muriel Warner
were married and returned to Muriel's |
old home, where, in the sunshine OF !
happiness, the dark days OF their lives
were forgotten.
Napolcon's Genius.